Seasons of the Heart
by Seien
Summary: Kenshin and Kaoru are archenemies, due to something that happened in their childhood. But when new transfer students Enishi and Tomoe enter the picture, dormant feelings are awakened.
1. Prelude

Okay, howdy every one! This is just a short prelude of a story that is soon to come... . I know I should be finishing up my other one, but I just had to write this down so I could remember. lol. Not to mention I have like, no motivation right now. But it's all good. Okay, well, hope you enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Rurouni Kenshin, but as soon as I gain political power and rule the world, it shall be mine. -  
  
Our story begins on one dreary afternoon... It was a cold day in autumn, the wind blowing leaves in circles, children at the park, playing under the close watch of their guardians, and the birds were unusually silent.  
  
"Okay Kaoru, you can go play." Said a tall, slender woman, her raven hair blowing in the wind.  
  
"Yatta!" Said a small girl as she danced around, almost identical to the woman next to her. "Daddy, come play with me?" She asked, her wide blue eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.  
  
"Not today Kao-chan. Today I promised to talk with Mommy. Go and have fun, I'm sure there are lots of other kids your age to play with." Said Keitaro Kamiya, gently urging his daughter forward.  
  
"Ok." Kaoru said, running off towards the swings.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Asked the woman, her eyes scanning the cloudy horizon.  
  
"I don't know Amaya." Keitaro replied, slipping an arm around her slim waist and pulling her close.  
  
"She's five already. The time flies by so fast..." Amaya was saying.  
  
"It does." He agreed, watching the clouds lazily rolling past. The wind was kicking up, and with it came a biting chill.  
  
"We don't have enough money to support a child, Keitaro."  
  
Keitaro's expression turned grim. "I know. But I'm going to try for all I'm worth. I will not send her to an Orphanage."  
  
"I wouldn't either. I just want her to grow up in a comfortable home, and go to a good school."  
  
"She will. She's one of the smartest five year-olds I know! If we can't pay for a good school, she'll certainly get in on an academic scholarship." Keitaro sighed.  
  
Amaya pulled her coat closely about her. She watched the barren tree limbs blow in the autumn wind and shook her head. It seemed as if the day was sharing their sorrow. Innocent little Kaoru knew nothing about the money problems they had been having recently.  
  
"I'll get more students, Amaya. I'll continue teaching the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. We'll be fine!" He insisted.  
  
"I sure hope so..."  
  
As Kaoru approached the swings, she saw a mop of flame red something or another. She continued, and as she got closer, realized it was a boy about her age. His face was burried in his arms, which were crossed over his knees.  
  
Kaoru stopped when she was about a foot away and poked him. The boy looked up, and surprise flickered in his eyes before dying down to a bored, cranky look.  
  
"Are you ok?" She asked him.  
  
"No." His childish voice was raised just enough to be heard over the wind.  
  
"Why?" She asked.  
  
"'Cause." Was his answer.  
  
"Why don't you play with them?" She asked, watching all the small children who were sliding down the slide and playing on the monkey bars.  
  
"They don't like me." He said, turning away.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"They say my hair is stupid and weird." He huffed.  
  
Kaoru once again surveyed his red hair.  
  
"I like it." She told him.  
  
His violet eyes widened. "Really?"  
  
"Uh huh! And I like your eyes too!" She said, giving him a broad smile. He managed a wobbly smile in return.  
  
"What's your name?" He asked.  
  
"Kaoru! What's yours?"  
  
"Kenshin."  
  
"Hey, let's be friends Kenshin!" She said offering her hand, her eyes full of excitement.  
  
"Okay." He said, taking her hand and getting off the swing.  
  
She led him over to her parents.  
  
"Daddy, Mommy, this is Kenshin! My friend!" She announced.  
  
"Hi Kenshin!" Amaya said, bending down to his level. "Are your parents here?"  
  
"No. My uncle." He said, pointing to a fairly large, muscular man sitting on a bench. He looked like he was absorbed in a newspaper.  
  
"Maybe your uncle would let you come play with Kaoru sometime." Keitaro suggested. "In fact, I'll go talk to him."  
  
And so it was settled. Kaoru's father and Kenshin's uncle talked, and Kenshin did come to play with Kaoru at her house. So often, infact, that they soon became the best of friends. That is, until kindergarten started.  
  
"Ken-chan!" Called Kaoru as she walked into the class room on the first day of school, escorted by her parents.  
  
"Kao-chan!" Kenshin replied, motioning for her to sit by him. She kissed her parents good bye and sat in the chair nearest to him.  
  
The day progressed well, and before they new it, it was play time. All the kids eagerly ran to the box of toys in the corner.  
  
"Hey!" A boy called to Kenshin. "Come play with us!"  
  
"Okay." Kenshin replied. "Come on Kao-chan, let's go play!"  
  
"Kay!" Chirped Kaoru, following Kenshin. But when they got over to the other kids, the one who had called Kenshin over pushed her back. She fell backwards onto the floor.  
  
"No girls allowed." He said, his nose high in the air. She then did what most little kids do. She cried.  
  
Kenshin was torn. These were the first kids to ever accept him. Should he stick up for his best friend, or should he play it safe and not say anything?  
  
"Stop crying you little sissy." At this Kaoru immediately stopped crying. She wiped her tears away, stood up, and stared into the kid's eyes defiantly. "I'm not a sissy!" She cried, flinging a small fist at the boy. He caught it and pushed her back again.  
  
"Come on kid, you can play with us, or her. Not both." He said to Kenshin.  
  
Kaoru watched as Kenshin went to join the other boys. He looked back and threw her an apologetic look. She smiled and nodded. It would be ok. She'd find some one else to play with during school.  
  
Things went fine for a while after that, but soon Kenshin began to make excuses not to play with her after school. She was so naive she didn't think to question him. But after a while he ignored her all together. One day, in the first grade, she approached him.  
  
"Hey Ken-chan, let's go to my house after school." She said.  
  
"I don't want to." He said, turning away.  
  
"But Ken-chan-"  
  
"I said I don't want to! Leave me alone okay!?" He yelled. "I hate you!"  
  
She stepped back, her eyes filling with tears.  
  
"What a sissy." He said, walking away.  
  
She growled as she hastily wiped them away. She wasn't a sissy! Guys were so stupid. She'd been nice to Kenshin, and what had she gotten? A slap in the face. If he was going to hate her, then by golly she'd hate him too!  
  
And that my friends, is how it all started.  
  
Okay, that's the beginning. -' What do ya think? Like it? No? Err, hopefully you did. But the next chapter will be when they're in high school, so the story will pick up a little bit. Alrighty, well, I'll be working on it! Ja!  
  
Seien 


	2. Highschool enemies

Hey every one! Wow, I was surprised to get so many reviews on just that short little prelude ^.^ But I'm happy! Okay, like I said before, this one is gonna be set in high school, so it may be a little different. The pairings on this, for all who were wondering ^.~ I'm not sure of as of yet. I guess I'll decide as the story progresses. I'm 100% all the way a K/K fan, but I think it would be fun to write something a little out of the norm. If you have an idea for me as far as the pairings go, don't hesitate to share ^.^ Okay, well, on with the story!  
  
Disclaimer: Once again, I'll admit (much to my chagrin) that no, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the characters. ^.^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kaoru slammed her locker shut. "That stupid, egotistical jerk!" She fumed.  
  
"Calm down Kaoru, you can always get him back." Said a smiling, blue-eyed girl, falling into stride with Kaoru.  
  
"Leave it up to HIM to pull something on the first day of school!" She ranted, ignoring the smaller girl beside her. "I mean, we're juniors in High School, you'd think he'd have grown up by now!"  
  
Misao sighed as she watched her best friend stuff her ruined skirt into her backpack.  
  
"I mean, really! Honey on my seat? That's so childish!" Kaoru zipped her backpack shut and hoisted it onto her shoulder. She was lucky she had brought a pair of jeans to change into today, or she would have to endure the rest of the day with either a wet skirt, or a honey-coated one.  
  
"Does he have ANY idea how much I liked that skirt!? It was my FAVORITE one!!"  
  
"Kaoru, can you keep it down? Every one is looking!"  
  
"I DON'T CARE!" She yelled louder.  
  
"Don't let him know you're upset about it, or else his goal will have been accomplished." Misao advised.  
  
Kaoru sighed as the words registered. Misao was right. She wouldn't let that stupid jerk feel satisfied with what he had done!  
  
"Jou-chan!" Called a voice.  
  
"Hey Sano." She replied icily.  
  
"I heard what Kenshin did. But don't take it out on me! Yeesh. I really don't understand why you two hate each other." Said the spikey haired boy.  
  
"Hmph. It's a long story." She said, turning away. Sanosuke sighed and disappeared into the masses of students moving along the hallway, making their way to their classes.  
  
Kaoru spent another minute or so letting off some steam, then wandered to her next class. Just then, the bell rang.  
  
"Great! Now I'm late for class!" She muttered, picking up her pace.  
  
"We. We're late for class. I'm still here you know." Misao said, pointing to herself.  
  
"Sorry Misao, it's just been a hectic morning."  
  
Misao nodded. "I know how it is."  
  
They hurried into their Chemistry class and took their seats.  
  
"Ahhh. Makamachi and Kamiya. Nice of you to join us. It's not good to be late on the first day."  
  
"Gomen Mr. Makoto" They said in unison, bowing their heads.  
  
Shishio rolled his eyes and continued his introduction.  
  
"As I was saying, I'm Makoto Shishio, and I will be your chemisty teacher. You would be wise to pay attention in class and mix the chemicals correctly, lest you end up like me." He said, stroking his bandages.  
  
Some students shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Kenshin just rolled his eyes. Makoto-sensai was all bark and no bite. He wasn't as cruel as people thought. His eyes wandered over to a raven ponytail. How he longed to reach out and yank it. He smiled at the thought of the teacher scolding her for crying out in class. He decided against it. After all, he had already pulled the honey trick. He listened somewhat attentively for the rest of the period, pushing all thoughts of the girl in front of him aside.  
  
For Kaoru it seemed like hours until the bell rang, but as soon as it did, she was out of her seat and into the hallway.  
  
"Yes! It's gym class next!" Kaoru loved gym class, in contrast to most of the girls, who usually faked a sickness or forged a doctor's note to get out of it.  
  
Misao grinned. At least Kaoru's mind was off the honey incident.  
  
The rest of the day passed by in a blur. Fortunately, no homework was assigned that day, so the students were free to do as they pleased.  
  
"Hey Kaoru let's go to the mall." Misao suggested as they walked home together.  
  
"You know Misao, I really don't feel up to going." Kaoru said.  
  
"Hmm. That's too bad. I was going to see if there was another skirt you liked there... And if there was, being the great friend that I am, I was going to buy it for you... But I guess if you really don't want to-"  
  
"Let's go!" Kaoru exclaimed, yanking Misao along as she changed directions.  
  
"Hey, didn't you say you had kendo practice?" Misao asked.  
  
"Yeah, but my dad wasn't feeling well this morning, so he'll enjoy the rest."  
  
Misao watched the cars pass on the street. A muffled "OOF" was heard, and when she turned to look at Kaoru, she wasn't there!  
  
"Watch where you're going!" Kaoru snapped.  
  
"So sorry." Said a sarcastic red head.  
  
Misao sighed. Hadn't Kaoru had enough of this guy for one day?  
  
"Hey Misao."  
  
"Hey Kenshin." Came the cool reply.  
  
"Going somewhere?"  
  
"It's none of your business, creep!" Kaoru hissed, picking herself up off the ground.  
  
Misao waved her hand in a dismissing motion. "We're going to the mall. We don't want to be late." She said, passing Kenshin.  
  
Kaoru did the same, growling and glaring daggars at him as she passed. He just smirked.  
  
Still within earshot, she leaned over to Misao and said a little too loudly, "No wonder he doesn't have a girl friend."  
  
That did it. Kenshin whipped around. "I could get any girl in our school if I wanted to!"  
  
"Hmph. There are 500 girls in our school. You may be able to get 499, but there is one that you'll never be able to get, Kenshin Himura! And that one girl, is me." She said, not bothering to turn and face him.  
  
"I wouldn't even want some ditzy, half-witted, aneorexic girl like you!" He shouted back.  
  
Kaoru flinched. Ditzy? Only when he tripped her or did something to throw her off balance. Half-witted? She was one of the top students in the entire 11th grade! And then... aneorexic?  
  
Kenshin grinned, knowing he had hit the mark. He turned to resume his normal route home, but froze and dialed a number on his cell phone.  
  
"Hey Sano! Listen, I know we were suppose to go see that movie, but how about we go to the mall instead?.... Yeah, I know..... Okay.... Call the other guys then, ok?.... Alright, later!"  
  
He grinned evilly and clipped his cell phone on his jeans. This was going to be fun....  
  
**********  
  
"Misao! This one! I love it!" Kaoru exclaimed, holding up a blue skirt with orange flowers.  
  
"Okay, let's get it then." Misao said, taking it.  
  
"But what if it's too much?" Asked Kaoru, searching for the price tag.  
  
Misao waved her away.  
  
"Nothing's too much for my best friend." She said with a wink.  
  
Kaoru smiled and threw her arms around Misao in a hug.  
  
"You're the best Misao!"  
  
"I know." She said with a smirk.  
  
Misao paid for the skirt and they headed off towards the food court.  
  
A few feet away from the food court, Kaoru spotted Kenshin.  
  
"Great!" She exclaimed.  
  
"What?" Misao asked.  
  
"HE'S here." Kaoru hissed. "I can't let him see me!" And with that she shrank back into a store.  
  
Kenshin caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. It was Kaoru trying to sneak into a store. He smirked. Now was the time to put his plan into action! He glanced around at his friends. Maybe he should wait until she came out of the store.  
  
As Kaoru backed up, she bumped into something. The "something" made an "oof" and tumbling could be heard. Kaoru turned around and saw a white haired stranger sprawled out on the floor.  
  
"I'm so sorry!" She cried, thinking it had been an elderly man and she had killed him for sure. Much to her surprise the man got up and brushed himself off.  
  
"It's quite alright. I'm sure you weren't trying to kill me." He said with a chuckle.  
  
Kaoru looked closely at him. He was a teenager! His void grey eyes matched his spikey white hair perfectly, and he must have been at least 6 ft tall, if not taller. In a way, he was actually quite breathtaking.  
  
"I thought you were-"  
  
"An old man?" He let out another chuckle. "Many people make that mistake." He smiled, looking directly at her for the first time. He raised an eyebrow and all but dropped his jaw.  
  
"I don't want you to think I'm trying to pick you up or anything, but in all truths you are the most beautiful girl I have EVER seen!" He said, staring at her as if he was mesmerized.  
  
She blushed. "T-thank you sir."  
  
"My name is Yukishiro Enishi." He said, offering his hand.  
  
"I'm Kamiya Kaoru." She said, taking it hesitantly.  
  
"Miss Kamiya, would you do me the honor of going out with me sometime?" He asked, gently pulling her hand towards him and planting a gentle kiss on it, while his eyes roamed over her figure.  
  
She blushed harder. "I don't know. After all, I just met you. Besides, what's the chances of me ever seeing you again?"  
  
He gently let go of her hand. "This is true my dear. Well, it was a pleasure meeting you." He said as he turned to go.  
  
"Wait!" He stopped. "Maybe you could walk my friend and me home." She suggested. This was her chance to get out of this place alive.  
  
"I would be delighted to." He said, taking her arm and walking out of the store with her.  
  
Kaoru easily found Kenshin in the food court. She could see him try to shake himself out of his shell-shocked stupor. She flashed him a brilliant smile and recieved a scowl in return.  
  
"Misao, are you ready to go?" Kaoru called out. Misao came trotting over to them.  
  
"Yeah." Her eyes traveled over the eerie stranger. "I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting, Mr...."  
  
"Call me Enishi. Don't bother with formalities." He said with a charming smile.  
  
"Right. Enishi. Pardon my asking, but just how did you meet Kaoru?"  
  
"We bumped into eachother." Kaoru hastily explained, turning back to see if Kenshin was stupid enough to follow or try something.  
  
"Quite literally." Enishi added.  
  
"I see." Said the suspicious Misao. "Your hair is quite odd, how ever did it get that way?"  
  
"Bleach. I was going for blonde, but I left it in too long. And well... this is the result. I actually kind of like it this way."  
  
"So do you live around here?" Kaoru asked, trying to relieve Enishi of Misao's questioning.  
  
"Yes, we just moved here yesterday. I would invite you over, but I don't think you would feel comfortable with that since we just met, and we're still in the midst of unpacking." He ran a hand through his gleaming hair.  
  
"We?" Misao asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"My sister and I." He replied, unshaken by her nonstop questions.  
  
"I see. Well, here's our stop, thank you for walking us home." Misao said, opening the front gate to her home.  
  
"I'll see you two beautiful ladies later then." Enishi said with a wave.  
  
"Don't be so sure." Misao muttered, yanking Kaoru along up the steps.  
  
They got into the house and Misao slammed the door.  
  
"What was that all about?" Kaoru questioned, her crystal blue eyes wide with wonder.  
  
"I don't like him." Was the reply.  
  
"Why not? He's a perfect gentlemen."  
  
"He's too smooth. Too refined."  
  
"You shouldn't be talking. Your Aoshi-sama would probably be just the same if he ever talked." Kaoru said, stamping her foot.  
  
This brought Misao to silence.  
  
"While I'm here we might as well study Chemistry together."  
  
"Alright." Said Misao, opening her backpack and taking out her textbook.  
  
*********  
  
"Who the heck was that guy she was with?" Kenshin scratched his head.  
  
"You've asked that five times now, and I assure you, none of us have been able to figure it out within the last two minutes." Sanosuke said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"I think Kenshin is jealous." Said Soujiro, his usual smile plastered onto his face.  
  
"I am not!" Kenshin protested loudly. "Why in heavens name would I ever be jealous of some one that looks like a senior citizen!"  
  
"Because he was with Kaoru."  
  
"As if! Who could ever love anyone with a face like that!" He spat.  
  
"Everyone. half the guys in our school think she's gorgeous, you seem to be the only one missing it." Sanosuke pointed out.  
  
"Well that half of the school must either be blind or desperate." He said, crossing his arms and sticking his nose in the air.  
  
"You're a jerk."  
  
Every one turned to stare at Aoshi in shock.  
  
"What did you say?!" Kenshin growled.  
  
"I said, you're a jerk." Aoshi said, his ice blue eyes glaring straight back.  
  
"Hmph. I'll let it pass this time. As for next time, I can't be held responsible for what happens." Kenshin said, turning away.  
  
"A jerk and a coward." Aoshi said in his usual monotone.  
  
Kenshin stiffened. "Whatever." And with that he walked away.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sorry it took me so long you guys, I guess I had a lack of motivation. o.O And writer's block to boot. I hope you guys liked this chapter, It's not as good as I hoped, but serves me right for being lazy. Anyway, thanks so much for your support and all, it means a lot to me! ^-^ Alrighty, See you in the next chapter!  
  
~Seien 


	3. Foreshadowing

Okay, first of all I'd like to apologize profusely to those who have read this story over time, I'm sooo sorry. I just can't say that enough. I kind of got out of the writing swing for a while (okay, a really long time!) But I'm on Christmas break, and I'm just so bored I need something to do. So here it is, the next chapter, and I'll try harder to work on this story for you guys. As some of you may know, I go to a boarding school, and this year they think we're in college or something, so I'm always busy, even on home leaves and breaks and stuff. So I'm really sorry, and I know it's no excuse for not writing. I hope my apology is accepted, and we shall move on with the story. Hope you guys are satisfied with this chapter, I'm trying, really! -'

* * *

"Kaoru!" A most unwelcome voice floated above the hustle and bustle of students in the hallway.

Kaoru shut her locker and turned to it's owner, forcing herself to smile. "Megumi."

"I hear there are two new transfer students. They're suppose to be showing up sometime today." Megumi said, smiling mischievously.

"And your point is?" Kaoru asked impatiently.

"One of them is a guy in our grade, and from what I hear, he's a real looker." Megumi said, winking at her.

Kaoru rolled her eyes.

"What does that have to do with me?" She questioned.

"Well I just figured it was about time for you to get a guy. And since you have so much trouble getting guys of any type to pay attention to you, I appointed myself the position of match maker! OH HO HO HO!" Megumi laughed her signature laugh.

"Excuse me Megumi, but I do NOT have trouble getting guys to notice me, I just don't care about them. I don't need a guy." Kaoru snapped, getting more and more irritated by the minute.

"Poor girl, you're in denial! Don't worry, I'll take care of things for you." There was a moment's pause. "Unless this new guy happens to be my type. Then you're on your own, and you'll be up against me." She winked once again and strode away with her nose in the air.

Kaoru growled.

"I told you I don't care!" She yelled after her.

Kaoru sighed and shook her head, heading for her next class.

"Hey wait up!" Misao called to her.

By the time she caught up, she was huffing and puffing.

"We always walk to class together!" She said, a bit hurt.

"Sorry Misao, I just have a lot on my mind. Megumi is being herself again."

"It's ok, just don't let it happen again." Misao grinned.

"Deal."

* * *

Kaoru stifled a yawn as she glanced around, observing the classroom. The desks were neatly paired off in twos, and then arranged in column and row format. She looked at the desk beside hers, which was empty. But that was probably a good thing, she noted as a big, husky boy in the next column over aggressively stuck his pinky in his nose.

"Gross…"

"Miss Kamiya!"

Kaoru was shaken out of her thoughts by the voice of Mr. Makoto.

"Please pay attention in class." He said sternly, his eyes warning her of a detention.

"Yes, Mr. Makoto." She mumbled, pretending to look at him until he turned to the board again.

She stuck her tongue out and proceeded to make fun of him. "Mi mi mi, moo moo moo…" She mimicked, rolling her eyes.

Misao giggled, which caused the frazzled man to turn around again.

"Is there something funny, Makamachi?" He asked, glaring at her.

Just then the door to the classroom opened, and in came a white haired fellow, followed by a petite black-haired girl. The white haired guy flashed Kaoru a smile, which earned him a blush.

"Okay class, these are our new transfer students, Enishi and Tomoe Yukishiro. Please make them feel welcome." He glared at a few students that were snickering. "Enishi, why don't you take a seat by Kaoru, she's the one sitting at that middle desk right there, and Tomoe, please sit in between Kenshin and Soujiro, the red headed boy and the other boy two seats away from him." He continued while they were making their way to their seats. "Now that that's settled, please say hello to your neighbor nearest to you." Every one looked to see who was closest to them. "This will be your new lab partner for this semester. You may not switch. Now as I was saying..."

Kaoru zoned the teacher's voice out of her mind, rolling her eyes. She already knew all of the material he was going over, why listen? Her gaze drifted to her right, at her lab partner. One hand was propping up his head lazily, and the other was fiddling with a pencil. He stifled a yawn and, setting down his pencil, combed his fingers through his snowy white hair. Looking somewhat unimpressed, he too decided against listening to the teacher, and he turned his head slowly to look at Kaoru. Kaoru blushed and quickly looked away. She hadn't realized that she had been staring. She watched Mr. Makoto, pretending to listen so as not to make Enishi suspicious.

She found, however, that the skin crawling sensation of eyes watching her was coming over her. She glanced in Enishi's direction. Sure enough, he was sitting there studying her features with a curious expression. Their eyes met and Kaoru looked away, blushing wildly. This was going to be an interesting semester...

Kenshin watched all of this from across the room, a firm scowl set upon his features. He had better warn that white haired guy about Kaoru, she was no good.

He sighed and slouched down in his seat, shaking his head a little. He glanced at the new girl sitting next to him, his eyes roaming over her delicate features. Her pencil was poised over paper, ready to note any important things the teacher was saying. She tucked a few strands of her raven black hair behind her ear, tilting her head as she listened to the lecture. One eyebrow arched, she looked over at Kenshin. Kenshin mustered up a small smile, which she returned in full. She then turned her focus back to Mr. Makoto. Kenshin grinned. He felt confident he could win this cutie over. It would be a piece of cake.

* * *

"Hold on!"

Kaoru turned to see Enishi running towards her. Classes were out for the day, and she had just been about to leave for home. She waited patiently for him to catch up, checking her watch unconsciously.

"So we're lab partners, huh?" Enishi said, grinning.

"Yeah." Kaoru replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.

She let her eyes wander over him, taking in features she had not noticed upon their first meeting in the mall. He was tall and thin, but his tank top revealed very muscular arms and a well-chiseled chest. His legs, taut and buff, looked as if he had been on a track team for a few years. He smiled when he noticed her observing him.

"Allow me to walk you home." He said, offering her a hand, his icy eyes sparkling with mystery.

She hesitated, looking around for Misao. She would have a fit if she saw this! However, there was no Misao to be seen. This made Kaoru slightly curious - after all, they always walked home together.

"Do you know where my friend Misao is?" She asked Enishi, ignoring his arm for the moment.

"You mean that girl that was with you at the mall, right? I saw her walk off with some other kid. She was talking about some kind of try-outs or something." He replied.

"Oh yeah!" Kaoru slapped her forehead. "She's trying out for the gymnastics team. I should have remembered." Kaoru smiled and took his arm, much to his relief; it was tiring holding it out so long.

"So what are your hobbies?" He asked as they began walking.

"Well, I'm really into kendo. My father teaches me for a few hours every night."

"And you still have time for homework?"

"Yeah, homework isn't hard for me."

"Same here."

There was a gap of silence. Enishi looked down at the girl next to him, his eyes softening as he took note of her rose colored lips. They looked so soft…

"You are very beautiful, Kaoru." He said, his eyes shining with admiration.

Kaoru looked up at him.

"You really think so?" She asked, amused.

"Of course, I really mean it." He said.

"Wow..." Kaoru was quiet for a minute. "Thank you Enishi."

Enishi glanced at her.

"For?"

"Saying that. It really helped me."

"What, guys don't ever tell you that?" He asked, eyes wide as if he expected it to be common knowledge that she was pretty.

"Well, not really. There's this one kid that-... err… never mind."

"That what?"

"Well, he always tells me I'm ugly. It gets kind of depressing sometimes." She said sadly, a melancholy expression briefly passing over her exquisite features.

Enishi tilted his head to one side, looking at her.

"He must be one stupid kid." He said, closing his eyes in annoyance.

Kaoru smiled. She liked Enishi. He was so sincere, and so kind.

"Enishi, I think this is the beginning of a great friendship." She said, smiling softly as she looked into his cheery face.

Enishi kept his smile in check, but winced immediately when she looked away. Friendship? Is this all she wanted? Could she not see there was something more, something much deeper that was blossoming deep within him? No, he couldn't let her know yet. She would think he was some kind of a stalker or something. For now, it was just friendship. But the day she showed any signs of interest in him, he would claim her as his. There was something so irresistible about her. She was so innocent and pure, young and full of hope and vitality. He wouldn't let any one else have her. One day, she would be his.

* * *

"Thanks for walking me home, Enishi!" Kaoru called from the front door of her home, waving an energetic goodbye.

He smiled back at her as he continued on his way. "It was my pleasure."

Kaoru giggled and closed the door. "He's so charming…"

"Who's charming?" asked a voice from the kitchen.

"Papa? You shouldn't be out of bed!!!" Kaoru scolded, ushering the older man back into his bedroom.

"Sorry Kaoru, I just wanted to get the paper. Didn't mean to alarm you." He said, smiling at the antics of his only daughter.

She fluffed his pillow and gently helped him lay down.

"I wish you were well, papa." She said, her eyes downcast.

He took her chin in his hand and lifted it, so that their eyes met.

"Kaoru my dear, I believe my time on this Earth is not for much longer. You must carry on in life. If I am to pass on-"

"Papa I wish you wouldn't say such morbid things!" Kaoru protested, tears coming to her eyes.

"Oh Kao-chan… What I would not give to be healthy again. But there are things that you must know; we need to talk seriously for a while."

Kaoru sighed and nodded.

"Okay Papa. Let's talk."

"Kaoru, you know we've never had much money at all, and we've lived a rather meager life thus far." He paused, waiting for acknowledgement.

Kaoru nodded.

"You know that your mother died from an illness that the doctors could not find until it was too late, and you know we had no money for medicine or operations."

Kaoru shifted feet uncomfortably, sitting on the bed beside her father.

"But what you don't know, is that you have a rich uncle. You've never seen him or heard of him. He's rather unattached to the family, and has been ever since him and my father had a disagreement. But… when you were born, he agreed that if something should happen to both your mother and I, he would take full responsibility for you."

"Papa!" Kaoru cried.

"Kaoru, please! I've notified him of my receding health, and he is aware that the time may soon come when he is to claim responsibility of you. It's been awhile since I've really communicated with him, so I no longer know him personally. But he was always very responsible from childhood, and I'm sure he'll take good care of you. So if I should pass away, my lawyers will contact him."

They sat in silence for a moment.

Kaoru bit her lip. "I understand Papa." She said, tears filling her crystalline eyes.

"Please don't cry Kaoru, it will be alright. I shall be reunited with your mother, and we will look down upon you from heaven." He said this with a bittersweet expression, and kissed her forehead. "Be strong my Kao-chan. And always remember that I love you, and I have faith in you. No matter how hard life gets, never give up! Never surrender. Your mother never did, and I have since then tried to follow her example." Here he paused while he gazed at her face. "You look so much like her Kao-chan. In every way, you are like her."

Kaoru hugged him gently. "I love you Papa, and I will listen to your advice. Thank you." She said, smiling sorrowfully.

He nodded and laid his head back on the pillow, fluffed ever so lovingly by his cherished daughter. "I am afraid I'm rather worn out. Good night, my dear Kao-chan." And with that, he was asleep.

She smiled and kissed his forehead. "Good night Papa, and I hope you feel better in the morning." She whispered quietly.

She closed the door behind her as she made her way to her room. Everything they had discussed was filling her mind, and all of her thoughts were jumbled as if a tornado had gotten hold of them.

'You have a rich uncle.'

She wondered about this uncle. What made him despise the family so? Obviously he didn't hold anything against her father if he agreed to take care of her.

She entered the comfortable confines of her own room and immediately went to her dresser. She opened the top drawer and pulled out a small, black, leather bound book. She leafed through it's pages, stopping at one containing her mother's picture. "I miss you so much Mother…" She said, almost inaudibly. "What's going to happen to me if father does die? No… That will not happen." She decided. Her father would remain alive. He just had to.

* * *

Okay, so in this chapter we found out a little of her past, not much, but a little. How was it? I'm trying to improve my writing. Does it seem better than the last chapter? Oh, I dunno… Anyway… I'll start on the next chapter now.

Seien


	4. Socializing

Okay, next chapter coming right up! Forgot to put the disclaimer on the last chapter, this one will have to do for both.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters except Keitaro and Amaya Kamiya. Sad, isn't it?

* * *

Kaoru sighed heavily as she scanned the books on the shelf. She growled as she came to the end of the "romance" section. Not one book seemed to interest her. A hand on her shoulder startled her.

"Hopeless romantic?"

She pivoted around on her heel only to come face to face with Enishi.

"Sorry, did I frighten you? I guess I should have made my presence known." He said, smiling sheepishly.

"No, no, it's fine. I don't mind." She replied easily. "I was just looking for a book to read. What are you doing here?" She looked up into his gray eyes curiously.

"Just came to check out the school library. It's very impressive." He answered with a wink.

"Yes, it is pretty nice. And they have a nice selection. But I've read most of these, and the ones I haven't don't interest me." Kaoru said, glancing once again towards the loathsome books.

"What is it about them that disinterests you?"

"Well, I always read the summary before I read the book. You can tell a lot about a book by reading the back. And none of these seem to spark my interest." She explained.

"Well, now would be where the old saying comes in. What was it? 'You can't judge a book by it's cover'. Ahh yes. I have read many books that seem rather dull and boring upon reading the summary, but I choose to explore them further. I find that some of the ones with the most boring summaries, are the best there are. Take for example, this one." Enishi pulled a book from a shelf entitled, "Uncle Tom's Cabin".

"Many people take this book to be boring and stereotypical. However, if you read into it, there are many instances where the author seeks to convict the reader of the evils of slavery. There are many wise sayings and points in this book. She uses the stereotyping to show how Americans of that time stereotyped the slaves. Oh… I'm sorry." Enishi put the book back, scratching the back of his head. "I didn't realize… I enjoy reading and analyzing books very much, and sometimes I get carried away…"

The way Kaoru smiled up at his was enough to make his heart skip a few beats. Her eyes shone with admiration, and her smile warmed his heart.

"That is very interesting, Mr. Yukishiro. You have certainly taught me a lesson about books - and people." She removed the book from its place on the shelf, and walked off, giving Enishi an interested look over her shoulder.

Enishi grinned.

"What are you cheesing about?" asked a voice behind him.

"Nothing, my dear sister. Nothing. How was school today?" He asked, turning his attention to the small raven-haired girl.

"It was very interesting! I enjoyed all of the lectures. The teachers here all know exactly what they're talking about. And Kenshin is showing me the town tonight!" Tomoe said, smiling sweetly.

"Who?"

"Kenshin. He's the read-head in our class. He's very nice, you know." She said, matter-of-factly.

"You'll have to introduce me when he comes to pick you up, he sounds intriguing." came the reply.

Tomoe's eyes widened for a moment, and then she resumed her cheery smile.

"I will."

* * *

"Kaoru!" called a shrill voice. 

Kaoru winced. She was seriously thinking about starting up a hearing-aid fund and asking people for donations…

"Kaoru did I just see you talking with that CREEP!?" Misao grabbed Kaoru's book bag, bringing her to a halt.

"I don't know, did you?"

"Kaoru! What have I told you about that guy!?"

"Misao, calm down. He's not as bad as you think. He's actually got a very interesting perspective on things… Books especially. Do you know what he told me? 'You can't judge a book by its cover.'"

"Yeah? So what, I've heard that a million times!"

"Then why are you judging him? That saying isn't just for books, you know!"

Misao sighed, scrunching her nose in defeat. "I guess you're right, sorry Kaoru."

Kaoru smiled and put an arm around Misao's small shoulders. "It's okay. Let's go get some ice cream!"

Misao's ears perked up. "Did I hear you say ice cream?! WHOOO HOOO!" And they were off, an over excited Misao dragging an under excited Kaoru down the street.

The mood, however, soon came to a screeching halt when a certain red-headed boy knocked into Kaoru, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"Watch where you're going you idiot!" snapped an angry Kaoru.

"What was that? Did I hear something? Guess not…" Kenshin grinned as he continued on his way down the street.

He smiled and chuckled. He discontinued his chuckle when a shoe found it's way to his head.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TRYING TO DO!?" He ranted, raising the shoe as if to throw it back at her. Realization dawned upon him, and he instead redirected his arm and hurled the shoe onto the nearest rooftop.

"HEY!! That was my shoe you unfeeling monster!" Kaoru stormed as she tried to lunge at him, Misao the only thing holding her back (and with great difficulty we might add).

Kenshin just smirked and walked away, disappearing into the crowds of the street.

"Great, now how do we get my shoe?"

"You shouldn't have thrown it in the first place…" This sentence was accompanied by a sweatdrop.

"Darn him…"

* * *

Kenshin shook his head. Kaoru was always so predictable. He smiled as he thought of how much she hated his guts, and how much he hated hers. He grew more serious as his train of thought stopped at the "Why do you hate her so much anyway?" station. He pondered this for a few moments. Because she was so stupid, ugly, annoying, and ditzy, of course! She had always been, ever since the first grade! He smiled to himself and kept walking. 

"Kenshin!" called a voice.

Kenshin turned to see Tomoe running to catch up with him.

She was panting as she came to a stop in front of him. "Hi! I saw your red hair in the crowd way in front of me, so I thought I'd say hi."

"Hi." Kenshin managed, blushing as their eyes met.

"You might as well show me the town now, since I'm here. I mean, that is if you're not too busy."

"Sure, I'd love to." He said, smiling and offering his arm.

Tomoe took it and together they began walking down the street, Kenshin pointing out various things along the way.

"So why did you move here?" Kenshin asked after a while.

Tomoe's face seemed to fall and she looked at the ground as they walked, her bangs hiding her eyes.

"For a change of scenery." She said quietly.

Her reaction told Kenshin he shouldn't pry any farther on the subject, so he continued to point out places of potential interest.

"There's the theater. We should go watch a movie sometime…" He said, glancing at her expression.

He was relieved to find that her expression was pleased. "We should."

A few moments of silence followed.

"You know, I'm kind of in the mood for something sweet." Tomoe said timidly.

"Then you're with the right person." teased Kenshin, causing the shy girl beside him to blush. "Just kidding…" he quickly tried to correct his flirtatious attempt. "But I know a great ice cream place not too far from here."

"Can we go?"

"Of course."

* * *

"Mmm Mmmm! This ice cream is sooo good Kaoru! I'm glad you suggested it." said Misao as she stuffed more cold, ice cream goodness into her mouth. 

"Me too." Kaoru said, stirring her untouched milk shake.

"Is something wrong, Kaoru? You seem distracted."

Kaoru shrugged as Misao looked out the window.

"It's your father, isn't it?"

"…" Kaoru sighed. "He's not doing too well. This morning when I got up, he was coughing something terrible, and…"

Misao laid a hand on her friend's shoulder from across the table.

"…He was coughing up blood." finished a miserable Kaoru.

Misao gasped. "I'm so sorry Kaoru! I wish there was something I could do for him…"

"It's okay Misao. He believes his time is short."

"What will you do if he..." Misao looked at her poor friend.

"I guess I have an uncle that I'll go to live with." Kaoru said in a tone of finality.

Misao nodded.

"Thank you so much for showing me around Kenshin, it was fun." Said a quiet, melodious voice as two people entered the ice cream shop.

Kaoru looked up into the disgusted face of Kenshin.

"Oh great, _you're_ here…" He said, his nose turned up in distaste.

Kaoru smiled but her eyes held an unspoken sorrow that Kenshin had not seen before.

"I was just leaving anyway." She said as she and Misao got up, refusing to meet his questioning gaze.

They exited the parlor, Kenshin staring after them in wonder.

"Why do you hate her so much Kenshin?" Tomoe asked.

Kenshin fell silent.

"I… I just do." He said, his eyes following the two girls as they rounded the corner and slipped out of sight.

Tomoe shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry Tomoe, it's just… I dunno. I really can't pinpoint why I hate her to a good reason. It's just always been that way." Kenshin heaved a sigh.

Tomoe smiled. "It's ok. Some people that seem like they hate each other turn out to actually love each other. Life is quite amusing in that way."

Kenshin looked down at her with a red face and a sweat drop. "There's no way I'd ever love _her_! She's just not for me."

Tomoe smiled knowingly to herself. "Okay Kenshin."

"Anyway, let's just go get that ice cream."

* * *

"Papa, I'm home!" 

"Kaoru!"

Kaoru walked into the small back room that served as father's bedroom.

"How are you feeling this afternoon?" She asked as she handed him the hot tea she had prepared.

"Good, my Kao-chan. Good." He sipped the tea. "You know Kaoru, before I die, will you do me one last favor?"

"Yes Papa, anything!"

"Bring me some sake!"

A thud could be heard as Kaoru landed on the floor.

"What for!? You shouldn't be drinking, father!" She said as she picked herself up and dusted off.

"I know, but my health is deteriorating anyway, I'd just like to taste sake once again." He said as Kaoru brushed back his graying hairs.

"Is there something special about sake, Papa?"

"Yes. The only times I ever drank it were with your mother. Our first date, our wedding, to celebrate your birth… And now I would like to celebrate my journey to meet with your mother again." He said, tears slipping from his ocean blue eyes.

"Papa… That's so sweet. Mama would surely like that. I'll bring you some, don't you worry."

"Thank you Kao-chan."

BBRRRING, BRRRING…

"I'll get it." Kaoru ran to the phone, nearly tripping over a pile of shinai laying on the floor. "Hello?" She answered cheerfully.

"I need to speak with Keitaro Kamiya."

Kaoru waited for more, but none came. "Ok… Here he is…" She handed the phone to her father, then picked up the pile of shinai and proceeded to take it to the training room. When she returned, it seemed as if her father and the person on the other end of the line were in a heated discussion. She heard her father sigh in what sounded like defeat.

"Okay… Come tomorrow at five…. Yes…. No…. Ok… Bye." He hung up the phone.

"Is something wrong, Papa?" Kaoru asked, searching his face for a clue.

"Your uncle is coming to pick you up at five tomorrow, after school. You should get your things ready."

"But you're still here! Why do I need to go!!?" Kaoru protested.

"He is worried that in my declining health, I cannot provide for you and take care of you."

"Than why doesn't he take YOU in!?" Kaoru said, slamming her fist down on the table.

"Kaoru!"

"…I'm sorry Papa, I just don't want to leave you here like this." Kaoru said, trying to push back the tears.

"It will be okay, Kao-chan. Your Uncle will send some one to care for me at home." Kaoru relaxed at this revelation. At least he would be cared for.

"Now go and pack your things, my little Kao-chan."

Kaoru nodded and headed for her room. She sighed as she closed the door behind her and pulled out a large, rolling suit case from under the bed and began neatly putting clothes in it.

'Why is this happening? I wish my life was normal!' she thought silently.

* * *

Okay, so that's it for this chapter. I'm doing the next chapter in Word pad because in Word my little separators will not show up. I know you guys are probably mad at me, but give me some feedback, please? Ideas on how to continue would be nice. I've got the main gist of what I'm wanting to do with the story, but I need little things to happen in between, ya know? Anywho, thanks for tuning in, and I shall start the next chapter! 

Seien


	5. Moving

Okay every one, next chapter fresh outta the oven!

Standard disclaimer applies.

* * *

Kaoru sighed as she put the last of her things into her suitcase. Tears slipped from her pain-filled eyes as she took some money from her "secret stash" and shrugged on her jacket.

"I'm going out Papa!" She called as she closed the front door behind her.

She released a heavy sigh, looking up at the night sky sprinkled with stars. She shook her head. Father was the only close family she had left, how would she deal with his impending death? She watched her feet as she shuffled along the quiet streets of Tokyo, feeling more miserable than ever. She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice the figure behind her, following her every step at a distance.

She looked up several minutes later, hoping she hadn't passed it... She glanced around at the store fronts. Ahh, there it was. Chin held high, eyes glittering with determination; she opened the door and walked in.

"Can I help you miss?" asked the man behind the counter.

"Yes, I'd like to purchase some sake please." She said, superiority in her voice.

The man nodded and headed towards the back. A few moments later he returned with a single bottle of name brand sake.

"Just one?" He asked.

"Yes." She replied, pulling the cash from her pocket. 'He must think I'm awfully strange...' she thought uncomfortably.

After paying for her purchase she exited the store, heading for home. She did not see a figure in the shadows across the street, a single lock of red protruding into the light cast by the street lamp.

Kaoru's trip home was uneventful, and she brought the sake into her father's room.

"Here you are, Papa. I bought you some sake like you asked." She said, mustering up the best available smile.

"Thank you Kao-chan. This means a lot to me." He said, returning her feeble smile with a much truer one.

Kaoru nodded and bowed gracefully as she exited.

"Goodnight Papa."

* * *

"You're WHAT?"

"Shhh... Misao quiet down! I don't want this to get out to any one else. I mean.. I'd just feel weird."

"Kaoru... You're moving in with your uncle tonight? And you're father is still-"

"I know... I didn't like the idea either. But I have to. My father I guess will feel more at ease. Maybe it'll help him." Kaoru glanced around at all of the students sitting at tables and merrily chatting and eating away.

"Look Kaoru..." Misao leaned in a bit, patting her friend on the shoulder, "No matter what happens, if you ever need me, you know where to find me."

"Thank you Misao. I might need that comfort later on. I've never even met this uncle of mine... I wonder what he's like."

"I'll bet he's like your father. I mean, something's got to run in the family, right?" Misao gave her a wink.

"I hope so..."

"Kaoru!"

Kaoru looked up to see Enishi plop himself down next to her.

"Hi." Kaoru smiled.

"Hello. I know this is a little sudden, but I'd like to know if you'd go to the movies with me." He said with a hopeful grin.

"Tonight?"

"Whenever you're free. It doesn't have to be tonight, but maybe sometime this week?"

"Sure, I'd love to." Kaoru said, flashing him a brilliant smile. "I guess Wednesday night is good."

He smiled in return and gave her a quick wink. "Wednesday it is then. Seven-thirty?"

Kaoru nodded. "Seven-thirty."

Enishi then got up from the table, heading towards the door. "Nice to see you again, Misao." He threw back over his shoulder with another smile.

"Neh." She grunted as she nodded towards him.

Kaoru shook her head. "I dunno Misao… I'm kind of nervous. I hate to leave the place where I grew up."

Misao nodded as she observed her best friend's features. She wished there was something she could do to bring hope to Kaoru's downcast eyes. Just then the bell rang, signifying the end of the lunch period.

* * *

Kaoru made it through the rest of the day and was soon at home, making sure she had everything and saying goodbye to her father.

"Goodbye papa!" She cried as she threw her arms around him.

"We will meet again, my Kao-chan. Whether in this life or in heaven, we will meet again." He said, patting her head softly. "Until then, you must be strong. For me, and for your mother."

"I will." She promised, regaining her composure and sitting up.

The doorbell decided to take that moment to ring.

Kaoru sighed heavily and calmed her trembling arms before opening the door.

"You must be Kaoru." Offered a deep, gruff voice.

Kaoru looked into the somber face of her uncle. His short, black hair was slicked back and his black eyes looked no more excited to see her than a child was to see broccoli on his plate. His thin lips were pressed into a straight line, and without a word he passed her and entered into their humble abode. She raised and eyebrow and shut the door, then followed his black tweed-suited figure into the room of her father.

"Keitaro." He said, rather unemotionally.

"Ginko." Was the reply, her father smiling graciously.

"Your nurse will be here in half an hour. No need to worry about the girl." With these two statements he turned and motioned for Kaoru to follow.

"Goodbye papa. I'll see you again." She forced herself to smile.

"Goodbye my lovely Kao-Chan. Be strong." He reminded.

She nodded and turned to follow the silent relative. Once out the door he turned and pointed to the trunk of an awaiting limo and waited for the chauffer to open it. When he did, Kaoru put her things neatly in, and, smiling, climbed into the back seat.

The car ride was unusually silent, Kaoru not being able to think of anything to say, and Ginko clearly not wanting to.

"This is where you will be living from now on." He said, his voice void of emotion.

Kaoru looked out the window to find a huge stone mansion staring right back at her as the car came to a gentle stop

"It's magnificent!" Kaoru exclaimed, never having the opportunity to be this close to something so elegant.

She stepped out of the car as soon as the chauffer opened the door, and looked back at the driveway. It must have been a mile long! Her attention was drawn back to her new home, and she found herself admiring the spiraling towers and castle-like look of the place.

"Just like a fairy tale…" She murmured, quite pleased.

"Hurry now."

She immediately began to follow her uncle up the walk at a fast-clipped pace.

"Thank you so much for taking me in, Uncle Ginko. It means a lot to father and me."

He grunted in what she supposed was a 'you're welcome' and a butler opened the front door.

"Welcome home." The elderly man said, his kind eyes twinkling with enthusiasm.

Kaoru gave him a brilliant smile. This man was so warm and inviting, she was sure he would become a close friend. He nodded and took her belongings from the chauffer.

"Allow me to show you to your room."

Kaoru nodded and looked back towards her Uncle, but he was already out of sight. She shook her head and followed the butler up a flight of curved stairs and onto a balcony over looking the entryway. From there she was lead down a long hallway and to a room at the very end.

"This is your very own suite." The butler said, opening the door in a semi-dramatic fashion.

Kaoru gasped. Never had she seen such beauty and elegance in a room before. The floor was covered with a rich, cream carpet, and there were cream colored curtains sprinkled with roses in full bloom. The bedspread matched the curtains, and the oak dresser and furniture added to the theme quite nicely. As she walked in she found the room to be very spacious, it must have been at least twenty-five feet in both length and width. Her bedroom at home had been a small 7'x10' room that felt like an office cubicle. Her eyes were wide with amazement as she discovered an attached bathroom, complete with spa. She must have been dreaming. As she explored further, she found that there was a walk in closet attached to the bathroom as big as her old room.

"Do you like it?" Asked the butler once she had returned to the main part of the suite.

"Like it? I love it!" She exclaimed. She then paused. "What is your name?"

"My name is Kan Mukuta, and as you can see, I'm the butler."

"It's so nice to meet you Mr. Mukuta! I'm Kaoru Kamiya."

"Please call me Kan. It's certainly a pleasure to meet you, Miss Kaoru. If you need anything at all during your stay, don't hesitate to ask me. There will also be maids at your service. I hope you will enjoy your time here." He suddenly grew quiet. "However, I must warn you, do not cross Master Ginko when he is upset." There was a pause. "And stay away from Jared when at all possible."

With a wink he was gone, leaving Kaoru to ponder what he had said. Surely Ginko wouldn't bring her to any harm. And who was Jared? She sighed to herself and began unpacking her things, making sure they were put into the proper place. Just as she finished, a maid came in to inform her of meal times and house rules. Kaoru sat and listened through as best as she could, but she was getting a bit tired. As soon as the maid left, Kaoru slipped off into a peaceful slumber, not knowing what would be awaiting her the next day.

* * *

And here we are at the end of another chaper. I hope it was enough to keep your attention, and don't worry, you will have some answers soon enough. Ja!

Seien


	6. Unexpected visit

Have I gotten boring? Lol… It seems there have been a lot of hits to this story, but reviews pale in comparison. ' Please review and give me some suggestions, it's a big encouragement. . tee hee… Anyway, here is another chapter, I'm really excited about this story and am thinking of several different directions I could take it, so I just had to write to see for myself how it all turns out. But I'm very glad that the reviews have expressed interest thus far, and I hope to keep your attention, my friends. I hope you enjoy this next chapter as much as I enjoy writing it. Ja!

Seien

* * *

Kaoru settled into her new surroundings quite quickly. She found the house to be a quiet solace where she could think and have some alone time. Of course Kan and the maids provided her with company at all the right times, but also respected the teenager's privacy. She didn't see much of her uncle Ginko, and supposed it was due to his busy work schedule. It turned out he was the president of a large company called Machami's Electronics, and as such, worked long hours and many late nights.

Kaoru went to school as normal, and even invited Misao over to the house sometimes in the afternoons to study or just have some fun. Her uncle never seemed to care about her guest, so she saw no harm in it. But she still wondered about what Kan had said. So far, she hadn't seen any evidence of Ginko being a quick-tempered man, and perhaps it was a simple misunderstanding of words. After all, every one gets upset sometimes, right?

Kaoru shook her head at this most recent thought, closing her math text book. She found it hard to pay attention today; for some unknown reason she was distracted. She looked over at Enishi beside her, whose eyes held a mysterious sparkle. Had he been staring at her this whole time she was thinking? She hadn't noticed. He seemed to hang around her a lot lately, and she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

Pretty soon the bell rang and school was out for the day.

"Kaoru!"

She wasn't surprised to turn to find Enishi catching up. She smiled lightly and greeted him.

"Hello Enishi."

Enishi smiled back.

"Since you were too busy moving in to go to the movies a few weeks ago, how about you go with me this week?" He asked hopefully.

Kaoru contemplated this for a moment. She supposed it would be fun to get out and do something to relieve stress, but she also had a lot to do.

"I don't know Enishi, I'll have to see how things go. I'll let you know tomorrow or the next day." She said, smiling apologetically.

"I'll be awaiting your answer then. And what about our Chemistry project? When would you like to get together to work on it?"

"Well, why don't you come over now, and we'll see if we can get off to a good start on it. I like to have things done as soon as possible so that it's not as much stress." She said, looking at his facial expression.

He smiled and nodded.

"I agree. Procrastination is so stressing. Let's go then."

* * *

"So what was that law about particles again? Maybe we could apply it to our experiment."

Kaoru nodded her approval; that was a good idea.

"That is an idea, but I was thinking something more along the lines of chemicals. We could concoct some sort of mixture to do something useful in the world."

"Sure. Let's do a live demonstration testing the mixture's reaction to sodium. We'll have our own fireworks display!" Enishi smiled teasingly.

"Actually, that's not a bad idea. We could make our own fireworks!" Kaoru said, her index finger pointed into the air as if it were sheer brilliance.

"I kind of like that idea." He smiled at her cute pose.

"Let's get to it then!" She exclaimed, scribbling down notes in her notebook.

"You know, your room really matches your beauty Kaoru."

She looked up to find his face inching nearer to hers, a wild blush spreading across her face.

"Y-you think?" She stuttered, unsure of what to do.

Just then the door burst open, producing a beaming Misao.

"Guess what Kao- Oh…" She paused, looking suspicious as they both jumped back from eachother.

"Well I think I'd better be going, I'll try to come up with some directions for making fireworks by tomorrow." Enishi sent her a knowing look.

Kaoru nodded and watched him exit.

"You mind telling me what that was about?" Misao said in wonder.

"I dunno! It's just, he said my room matched my beauty and I looked up and suddenly he was so close and I didn't know how to react ya know?" She babbled.

"Uh huh. Well… How do you feel about him?"

"… I'm not quite sure."

"You should figure it out." Misao advised as she pulled Kaoru up from her seat on the floor. "Let's go somewhere."

* * *

The small restaurant was calm and quiet that evening as Kaoru and Misao sat at their usual booth at the back of the Akabeko. People around them were conversing softly, and it was a peaceful time that the two friends were both enjoying.

"Aoshi talked to me today." Misao stirred her drink with a straw, needing to keep her hands busy somehow.

"What did he say?" Asked the surprised girl across from her.

"He asked me if I had seen which way Soujiro went." She sighed dreamily as she said this, her eyes glazing over with obvious daydreams.

Kaoru stifled a laugh and shook her head.

"What about you? Have you been able to think any on your feelings for Enishi?"

"In the past two hours? No." She winked. "I think that I'm kind of interested, but I just couldn't see myself with a boyfriend."

Misao "hmphed" and rolled her eyes. "Only because you ignore all attempts to ask you on a date."

"All the guys that ask are just so… I dunno. Not right for me I guess. I don't feel like there could be anything there."

"I think you're afraid of commitment." Misao stated rather boldly.

"I am not!" Replied a much too enthused Kaoru.

Misao looked at her in shock, and Kaoru realized her mistake.

"I'm sorry I got so riled up. Maybe I am afraid." She was silent for a few moments until both female's thoughts were interrupted.

"Afraid? The all-knowing and mighty Kaoru?" A voice dripping with sarcasm cut through the silence.

"Get away from our table." Kaoru mumbled, not wanted her anger to be stirred at the moment.

Kenshin laughed. "I can go where I please. So how's the mansion? It must be so much better than that run down house you used to live in." He chuckled.

Kaoru's eyes filled with tears as the homesickness crept into her heart.

"You're such a jerk, Kenshin!" Misao was instantly at her friend's defense.

Kenshin's smile dropped when he saw Kaoru's tears. For some reason it was disturbing him to see her in pain. 'What am I, going soft?' He wondered to himself before steeling his heart against this new feeling. He shrugged it off and walked away to where Tomoe was awaiting him at a table.

"I'm sorry Kaoru. He should never have said that." Misao looked down at her best friend with concern evident in her eyes.

"It's not you who needs to apologize, Misao. Besides, he reminded me that I haven't been to see my father." She said, smiling sadly. "I'll visit him tomorrow."

Misao nodded in understanding. Not long after that, she found herself driving Kaoru back to her new house.

"See you tomorrow Kaoru, kay?" She asked, waiting for an answer to let her know things were okay.

"Okay." Came the small reply.

Kaoru sighed as she traveled up the walk, determining to not let anything get in the way of her seeing her father the next day. She was lost in thought, not noticing the unfamiliar black Dodge Viper parked over by the garage.

She stepped into the house and made her way up the stairs and down the hall, opening the door to her room. She shut it and was just about to undress to get into her night clothes when she heard it open again. Curious as to why the maids might have come in without knocking, she turned around, mouth open and ready to speak. What she saw surprised her.

"You're even better looking than I'd imagined." Said the stranger at the door, his eyes glinting with something she couldn't read. His spiky black hair fell over his eyes, which glowed a brilliant shade of green. He would be quite handsome under normal circumstances, with his fair skin and firm jaw, but something about him screamed that he was someone to stay away from.

"I'm Jared." He said, smiling deviously at her, his eyes taking in her lovely face and even lovelier curves.

Kaoru just stood there, too shocked to say anything.

"You're not going to introduce yourself? That's alright, I know. You're that Kaoru girl, aren't you?" He stepped forward.

"Stop!" She commanded, more forcefully that she thought it would be. "Don't come any closer to me."

He looked at her in surprise for a moment, but then his expression changed to that of amusement. He found himself chuckling.

"So you're a feisty one, huh?" He stepped nearer still, which prompted her to pick up the nearest object, happening to be a hairbrush.

He didn't stop advancing, so she threw the brush at him with all of her might. He ducked and closed the gap between them, shoving her against the wall. She yelped in pain as her back collided with the hard surface. He grinned and lowered his lips to her neck, breathing hot air onto her flawless skin.

She kneed him in the stomach and shoved him away, grabbing a broom one of the maids must have accidentally left in her room.

"I want you out of my room, and out of this house!" She said, eyes flashing defiantly.

"Honey.." He chuckled. "I live here."

A cold sinking feeling took over her as she realized that this was the Jared that Kan had warned about. Her eyes narrowed in hatred.

"Get out." It was said dangerously low, as if she was on the brink of attacking him.

He smiled and winked. "I'll be around, cutie." And with that, he was gone.

Kaoru tried to still her beating heart. She had never known some one that scared her so much in her life. She locked her door and continued with her nightly ritual, nervousness making her sick to her stomach.

* * *

"Kaoru, you look so tired." Sano commented the next day, his eyes taking in her slumping form and half-shut lids.

"I didn't get much sleep last night." Kaoru said plainly, not wanting to tell him why.

"That's not good. You're working too hard. You need to take some time off and relax."

"Believe me Sano, I don't think that will do anything."

They sat outside on a bench, school having got out not too long before. Kaoru shivered, remembering the night before. Sano took note of this.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes." She answered, a little too quickly to settle his suspicions.

"Well, here's my ride." She said, motioning to the limo that had just pulled up.

"We're not done with this conversation, Kaoru!" Sano called as she ran off.

"Why bother? Conversations with that girl are nearly impossible."

Sano looked up to see his red-headed friend sit down beside him.

"Have you ever tried a civil conversation?" Sano asked, quite seriously.

Kenshin thought for a moment. "No."

Kaoru smiled at the thought of seeing her father again. She would ask Kan if they could drive over there as soon as she got in. But it was not Kan who stepped out to open her door. She stopped dead in her tracks.

"Get in." He said, green eyes telling he meant business.

"I'm not going with you." She said, spinning on her heel and walking away.

His hand shot out like a snake and grabbed her arm, her trying to pull away as if she'd been bitten. His grip tightened, causing her to wince in pain and forcing out a few tears.

"Get in." He repeated.

When she didn't move he flung her into the car and got in himself, slamming the door.

"Did you see that?" Sano said, almost choking on his words as he rose from his sitting position.

When he didn't hear a reply, he looked at Kenshin. Before his friend turned away, he could have sworn he'd seen anger in his violet eyes.

"Wait! We have to do something!" Sano protested, catching his friend's shirt before he got away.

"She said it was her ride, didn't she?" And with that he walked off, his cool attitude back again.

Sano grimaced, looking at the spot where the speeding limo had disappeared seconds before.

* * *

"I need to see my father!" Kaoru exclaimed, trying to push past the man in front of her.

"You will stay here. He's been relocated anyway." Jared held her back.

"What do you mean relocated? What about my house?"

"It no longer belongs to the Kamiya family."

She beat her fists upon his chest. "You jerk! How could you?"

"I didn't. My father did."

She stopped her beating and looked up into his serious, grim, face.

"Uncle Ginko?" She questioned hesitantly.

He smiled and nodded. She put a hand to her head and sunk down to sit on her bed. How could this be happening? What if she never saw her father again?

Jared took this opportunity to sit next to her.

"I was away on a business trip when you arrived. But tomorrow I'll be back to school with you." Her panicked look only fed his delight. "Don't worry, I'm a Senior, so you won't see me in any of your classes." She shook her head, still trying to make sense of things.

He reached up and brushed his fingers against her cheek. She shooed his hand away hatefully and stood.

"Out of my room."

He smiled and slowly complied, his eyes never leaving her until he shut the door.

Kaoru's eyes burned with hot tears as she thought about her father. The biggest question on her mind was "is he safe?" But she knew she wouldn't get any answers just yet. She punched her pillow in frustration. Even worse, that creep would be bothering her at school now too! He'd better not try anything or she was sure Misao would be the first to kick his sorry behind. What a scary family she had…

* * *

Kenshin growled and paced his room, his shifting weight making the hard wood floor slightly creak. Something was fishy about the guy who came to pick up Kaoru. Who was it? He couldn't believe he was actually worrying about it. He had never cared about her before, why should he now?

He shook his head as if it would help shake thoughts of Kaoru. It was just annoying, that's all. He was the only one who could pick on her – it was his job and nobody else's. He nodded. That was exactly it. He smiled, in his mind having solved his problem. He then wondered if he had been too harsh on Kaoru for the past few years. He really had no reason to hate her anymore as he had so long ago in the first grade, and he guessed he didn't have a good reason back then either. He had just wanted to fit in. Maybe it was time to extend friendship to her once again. It would make Tomoe happy if he did, she always wanted peace between people. He smiled at the thought. Yes, he would do it, for Tomoe's sake.

* * *

Well, what do you think? Suggestions are sooo welcome. . Anyway, hope you guys are enjoying the story. Reviews are appreciated! ' Until we meet in the next chapter!

Seien


End file.
